I did a little bit of thinking the last couple days on this subject. I'm thinking that maybe I should use my current upright to learn how to hang hammers and regulate an action (and maybe also replace whippens, hammer butts, or a few other things, but I haven't decided yet). So... I'm temporarily taking myself off the market for a piano, at least for the time being. However, I am thinking about waiting a while, and saving up some money. I suppose I could plod along with my current piano, but when I am ready to upgrade, does anyone have any suggestions on what to get? I'm thinking I would be open to either an upright or a grand, although if I got a grand it would have to wait a while before I get one, as I am living with my parents at this time and they don't have room for another grand. Also, what would be a good price range to look at? I don't need any fancy "furniture", but I do want a good responsive action, that allows for fairly fast playing, and good dynamic control, and a good, full, rich, brilliant tone, abundant in higher harmonics, all the way from A0 to C8, especially on FF passages, but not harsh. If I go for a grand, I'm thinking at least 6 to 7 foot, but I don't want to spend a lot of dinero on a piano, so for me, a new piano from a dealer is out of the question, unless I wait a really long time and have >$50,000 to spend on a piano. What do you think I should be able to get for, say, $2,500? $5,000? $10,000? $20,000? any other price tiers you might suggest looking at? Like I said above, I've been thinking that I should probably learn some more technical things on my current piano, then after a couple years or so, start looking at getting another one. Ultimately, I'd like to get a Bosendorfer Imperial, but I would have to save for a LLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG tttiiimmmeee... and I wouldn't want to stick with my current piano for all that time. I would want to have at least one or two steps between an old klunker upright and a halfway decent 8-octave 9'6" grand. :) Depending on available space and the price, I would be willing to get an older rebuilt 9 foot piano, even if it was not a Steinway. I played a Knabe 9' grand recently that someone had advertised for $8,000, but I don't have the money for that right now, but if I did have the money and the space, I'd consider buying it. Unfortunately, it's a limited time deal (private seller though) so when I AM able to buy something that size for that price, it probably won't be available. :( -- Stephen Airy stephenairy@fastmail.fm
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